One Week In R1T Impressions. "Pure and unadulterated joy to drive."

[Bonobojones]

First I would just like to thank the RIvian Forums community for all the info that has been gathered and shared over the last year. I was a November 2020 reservation holder and my delivery window from this spring was Q3 2023. My initial build was just a random collection of what I thought I wanted, but I was able to piggy back off all the info shared here to change my options to the point that I took delivery last Thursday. So I am just about a week into ownership and I thought I'd share some thoughts I have that maybe a bit different. This truck is replacing my 2015 F-250 6.7L diesel ranch truck. I work at a winery in Paso Robles CA so this will be used in the same manor as that truck. Lots of AG land off roading and things like short distance (<40 miles) grape bin hauling on loads up to 10,000 pounds. Transferring case goods on pallets in the bed, happy to report a pallet fits just fine. A full pallet of wine bottles weighs about 2,400 pounds. Ran my first half load today (1,200 pounds) and it was an absolute dream. Loading was easy as the bed liner worked great having to do lift and slides with our short fork forklift. This means you have to put the load on the tailgate/gap filling liner bit to start and obviously it was designed to handle that type to loading. The ride feel on the 5 mile windy road to town expressed no noticeable change with the weight in the back, had to remind myself I had a load in the back and to take corners slowly.

Anyway, I wanted to share a few things that stand out to me as I have read and watched quite a few reviews over the past months and my perspective might be a bit different. Most reviews spend a majority of time talking about the screen and the UI. The first question I asked during my delivery is "How do you turn the screen off?" (Sadly you can't yet but night mode with brightness all the way down is pretty good!) So there will be no thoughts on the "Tech" as the screen is the main thing I don't like about EV's but I realize I am in the grand minority there so will keep off that soapbox for the most part.

- First and foremost I feel one thing does not get emphasized enough in reviews of this truck, it is a pure and unadulterated joy to drive. Everything about it is so smooth, confident and quiet (caveats applied coming from a F-250 driver) that it is just a plain and simple happy feeling to drive. Like a powder day on the mountain or clean swell with off shore breeze, it is the best version of what can make driving a pleasure. If you actually like driving, you will not be disappointed, full stop.

- I'm a windows down driver and I'd just like Rivian to know they nailed the door height for left arm elbow and forearm resting. It is so perfect and comfortable I can't help but think someone considered it in the design process. Having only driven full size trucks for the past 15 years and living on the temperate central coast, that is just how I drive most of the time and now with door impact integrity so many vehicles have ruined that posture with the door panel being way too high. Again, kudos and thanks Rivian, my smile is 17% bigger while driving now. I have noticed though that the vast majority of EV drivers are windows up types, hopefully Rivian will help change that!

- One weird complaint that I've been a bit confused about, there have been numerous videos and written reviews complaining about no handle on the tail gate which apparently makes it hard to close. Start with the fingers then rotate to two flat palms centered on the tail gate and push to close is the only way I have ever closed a tailgate. Am I crazy? Maybe I've been doing it wrong my whole life. Do people also close their doors while holding the handles? Anyway, the gentle curve at the top of the gate is just perfect for the motion I use to close a tailgate. I don't miss the latch handle in any way shape or form except for the fun of fixing them with baling wire and duct tape when they inevitably break after 5 years of yanking on them.

There will be more things of actual value I will add to the forum in the future. As grape harvest approaches in late August I will post updates on how it holds up and handles being used as a true ranch machine.

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[astonius]

One weird complaint that I've been a bit confused about, there have been numerous videos and written reviews complaining about no handle on the tail gate which apparently makes it hard to close. Start with the fingers then rotate to two flat palms centered on the tail gate and push to close is the only way I have ever closed a tailgate. Am I crazy? Maybe I've been doing it wrong my whole life. Do people also close their doors while holding the handles? Anyway, the gentle curve at the top of the gate is just perfect for the motion I use to close a tailgate. I don't miss the latch handle in any way shape or form except for the fun of fixing them with baling wire and duct tape when they inevitably break after 5 years of yanking on them.

It's not the lack of handle in the sense of a release handle but the fact there's no good dedicated grab point. I believe most trucks have a textured plastic lip at the top of the tailgate to grab for lifting the gate back in to place. Without this you have to touch the painted surfaces which is not ideal, especially if they're unprotected. Grit on your hands or a metal ring will scratch up the clear coat over time.

 

[Toadkillerdog]

It's not the lack of handle in the sense of a release handle but the fact there's no good dedicated grab point. I believe most trucks have a textured plastic lip at the top of the tailgate to grab for lifting the gate back in to place. Without this you have to touch the painted surfaces which is not ideal, especially if they're unprotected. Grit on your hands or a metal ring will scratch up the clear coat over time.

Been doing it his way for years and have not marked up my paint. Maybe I‘m just careful, I don’t know. It’s a truck… i went out and looked at my newish 2021 F150 Limited which is 80k msrp and the paint is flawless where I’ve been gripping it. think people that buy the R1T are different than the regular ICE truck buyers. I may be wrong It’s a luxury vehicle for them. I still think it’s a truck albeit a luxury truck. I understand not wanting to mark up the new baby though! He is using it like I hope to.

 

[AltaTruck]

Two things I did/do. Lift the tailgate with your finger hooked into the latching mechanism on either side. The gate is aluminum and very light to start the lift. With the other hand push with your palm on the upper section to fully latch it. Obviously, you have removed your finger prior to this. I put a small strip of PPF across the top section of the gate to reduce scratches. Works well so far.

 

[crashmtb]

Obviously, you have removed your finger prior to this.

if you have not, the latching mechanism will do that for you. In a manner which makes it impossible to make the same mistake again, unless all the pieces are found in time along with a suitable ER

 

[zefram47]

I have noticed though that the vast majority of EV drivers are windows up types, hopefully Rivian will help change that!

I'm a big windows down kinda guy. Even at 90+ degrees I'll often have the windows down and sunroof open on my MINI EV. But definitely anytime it's in the 70s the windows are down even on the highway.

 

[John G.]

First I would just like to thank the RIvian Forums community for all the info that has been gathered and shared over the last year. I was a November 2020 reservation holder and my delivery window from this spring was Q3 2023. My initial build was just a random collection of what I thought I wanted, but I was able to piggy back off all the info shared here to change my options to the point that I took delivery last Thursday. So I am just about a week into ownership and I thought I'd share some thoughts I have that maybe a bit different. This truck is replacing my 2015 F-250 6.7L diesel ranch truck. I work at a winery in Paso Robles CA so this will be used in the same manor as that truck. Lots of AG land off roading and things like short distance (<40 miles) grape bin hauling on loads up to 10,000 pounds. Transferring case goods on pallets in the bed, happy to report a pallet fits just fine. A full pallet of wine bottles weighs about 2,400 pounds. Ran my first half load today (1,200 pounds) and it was an absolute dream. Loading was easy as the bed liner worked great having to do lift and slides with our short fork forklift. This means you have to put the load on the tailgate/gap filling liner bit to start and obviously it was designed to handle that type to loading. The ride feel on the 5 mile windy road to town expressed no noticeable change with the weight in the back, had to remind myself I had a load in the back and to take corners slowly.

Anyway, I wanted to share a few things that stand out to me as I have read and watched quite a few reviews over the past months and my perspective might be a bit different. Most reviews spend a majority of time talking about the screen and the UI. The first question I asked during my delivery is "How do you turn the screen off?" (Sadly you can't yet but night mode with brightness all the way down is pretty good!) So there will be no thoughts on the "Tech" as the screen is the main thing I don't like about EV's but I realize I am in the grand minority there so will keep off that soapbox for the most part.

- First and foremost I feel one thing does not get emphasized enough in reviews of this truck, it is a pure and unadulterated joy to drive. Everything about it is so smooth, confident and quiet (caveats applied coming from a F-250 driver) that it is just a plain and simple happy feeling to drive. Like a powder day on the mountain or clean swell with off shore breeze, it is the best version of what can make driving a pleasure. If you actually like driving, you will not be disappointed, full stop.

- I'm a windows down driver and I'd just like Rivian to know they nailed the door height for left arm elbow and forearm resting. It is so perfect and comfortable I can't help but think someone considered it in the design process. Having only driven full size trucks for the past 15 years and living on the temperate central coast, that is just how I drive most of the time and now with door impact integrity so many vehicles have ruined that posture with the door panel being way too high. Again, kudos and thanks Rivian, my smile is 17% bigger while driving now. I have noticed though that the vast majority of EV drivers are windows up types, hopefully Rivian will help change that!

- One weird complaint that I've been a bit confused about, there have been numerous videos and written reviews complaining about no handle on the tail gate which apparently makes it hard to close. Start with the fingers then rotate to two flat palms centered on the tail gate and push to close is the only way I have ever closed a tailgate. Am I crazy? Maybe I've been doing it wrong my whole life. Do people also close their doors while holding the handles? Anyway, the gentle curve at the top of the gate is just perfect for the motion I use to close a tailgate. I don't miss the latch handle in any way shape or form except for the fun of fixing them with baling wire and duct tape when they inevitably break after 5 years of yanking on them.

There will be more things of actual value I will add to the forum in the future. As grape harvest approaches in late August I will post updates on how it holds up and handles being used as a true ranch machine.

Cheers!

 

[camaroz1985]

It's not the lack of handle in the sense of a release handle but the fact there's no good dedicated grab point. I believe most trucks have a textured plastic lip at the top of the tailgate to grab for lifting the gate back in to place. Without this you have to touch the painted surfaces which is not ideal, especially if they're unprotected. Grit on your hands or a metal ring will scratch up the clear coat over time.

This is what I was worried about. Ordered a Twraps strip to put on the top of the tailgate. Until that gets here, I just kind of put my palm on the strip of plastic on the top and close that way. It works, but feels awkward. Every other truck I have had has had the plastic strip at the top wrap over the tailgate more so you were grabbing that instead of the painted surface.

Been doing it his way for years and have not marked up my paint. Maybe I‘m just careful, I don’t know. It’s a truck… i went out and looked at my newish 2021 F150 Limited which is 80k msrp and the paint is flawless where I’ve been gripping it. think people that buy the R1T are different than the regular ICE truck buyers. I may be wrong It’s a luxury vehicle for them. I still think it’s a truck albeit a luxury truck. I understand not wanting to mark up the new baby though! He is using it like I hope to.

I can agree with that. I think no one buying these trucks is a "typical" ICE truck buyer, but I would consider myself as close to that as possible. This truck is a luxury vehicle to me in that I have never spent even 1/3 the price on a truck before, and thus wasn't as worried. It's not going to stop me from using it like a truck, I will just be a little more careful until those first scratches happen (and yes I know they will).

 

[MountainBikeDude]

@Bonobojones Thanks for the write-up, I liked your take on truck, as well, the descriptions of its driving feel "Like a powder day on the mountain" really summed up the feeling I'm hoping for. Coming from my current Cabbage-Cart, anything should feel smooth!

The handle/grip for the tailgate thing is also a complaint I've never understood, and your point of "do you grab a door by the handle on the outside to close it" was precisely why I didn't get the complaint to begin with.

 

[sevengroove]

I work at a winery in Paso Robles CA so this will be used in the same manor as that truck.

You should seriously consider reaching out to Rivian to see if they'll do like a video story on your winery and how the truck fits in / enhances your work. I would watch the heck outta that.

 

[Bonobojones]

I totally get this aspect. It is such a beautiful machine it gives you "my precious" vibes. I'm sure the first dents and scratches I put in it are gonna hurt emotionally! But, it is truly a farm truck for me and it will eventually show like a farm truck. I'll be the canary in the coal mine for the forum to see how it holds up to ugly use.

 

[wsb44]

I love this post. I've been driving an F250 since 2003 and have been holding on till my R1T comes. I'm not going to try to dent it up, but seriously, it's a truck and I can't wait to use it like one. I want a truck I can drive in the oil fields and then throw my grandkids and dogs in and escape to the mountains. I counted: in 18 years I put 320,000 miles on my F250 and it cost me over the years in gas and maintenance and to buy it just about $150,000. I don't expect to reach 320k miles on my Rivian, but I'll be pretty surprised if it doesn't get me everywhere I ever want to go and cost me less than my Ford in the end. And I can't wait to tell the story of those first scratches and dents because it'll be about all the cool places I was able to go. Anyway. That's how I've always closed my tail gate too, you just lift it up and close it hard. And if it's scratched, well then you know you were working. Thanks for your post, it's awesome to hear about folks using the R1T as a work truck too. Just makes me even more excited. Thanks for sharing.

 

[R1Sky Business]

Hey, a truck doing truck stuff....!!!! Damn refreshing.

 

[Marchin_MTB]

@Bonobojones , your writeup also put a smile on my face! We have the truck for three weeks now and couldn't agree more with your sentiments.

 

[Bonobojones]

You should seriously consider reaching out to Rivian to see if they'll do like a video story on your winery and how the truck fits in / enhances your work. I would watch the heck outta that.

If Rivian is listening, I'm all in!

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